He’s not Kaka, but new recruit De Jong can be Manchester City’s driving force

As Manchester City have found out to their cost this week, it is going to take more than money to persuade the cream of Europe's talent to buy into their big plans at Eastlands.

Obtaining Kaka's signature, despite the millions on offer, proved to be a bridge too far for City's powerbrokers.

But few would have thought persuading a midfield ball-winning 'pitbull' to sign on the dotted line would have turned out to be almost as tough a selling job.

So it has transpired with Mark Hughes's most expensive acquisition of the transfer window thus far, £15million Nigel de Jong.

The 24-year-old midfielder is clearly nobody's fool. Having been brought up on a tough Amsterdam council estate by his mother Marja, De Jong had to come to terms with his father, former PSV and Maastricht defender Jerry, walking out on the family just as his son was about to take his first steps in football with the revered Ajax Academy.

As the eldest of five children, Nigel had to be man of the house and keep up with his school work while honing his football skills.

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He passed that test with flying colours, having left school with the equivalent of three A-levels while at the same time making his first-team debut for Ajax as a 17-year-old.

He is a firm believer that a footballer's education in the classroom is as important as hours spent on the training pitch and it is that sharp mind which could have quite easily led him to snub the riches on offer at Eastlands.

For De Jong is a successful entrepreneur in his own right, a true self-made man. He has a highly successful car dealership with an Iranian business partner, adding a little extra 'bling' to the most sought after marques.

In Hamburg, he bought a tennis complex and converted it into a giant showroom full of jazzed-up Ferraris, Mercedes and Aston Martins and counts his good friend Robin van Persie and a smattering of Real Madrid stars as his clients.

Should Sheik Mansour be tempted to put even more money his way, he need only venture down to the latest branch of 'De Jong' motors in Abu Dhabi to see if there is anything that he fancies.

Nigel de Jong in training with Hamburg on Monday

It is said that De Jong makes as much money - if not more - from his luxury car venture as he does from that cash was not the main reason for his City move.

De Jong is understood to have pondered long and hard before snubbing the chance to become Hamburg's highest paid player on £2.8m a year.

And it has taken a PR pitch similar to that which City intended to use on Kaka, which promises of further player recruitment and Champions League football sooner rather than later, to convince him to move.

The very fact that City have opted to pay £15m now rather than wait until the summer when - with just 12 months remaining on his contract - a release clause of just £2.3m would have come into effect, suggests Hughes' need is far greater than that of De Jong.

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has already been extremely busy in the January transfer window

His arrival will see him slot into the midfield berth currently occupied by former Hamburg team-mate Vincent Kompany, with the Belgian dropping into his favoured central defensive role at the expense of either the erratic Richard Dunne or an underperforming Micah Richards.

The fact that De Jong cites Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira as his idols, along with Brazilian goal machine Romario, bodes well for City supporters.

De Jong said of his move: 'It is the next step in my career after three years in Germany and I hope to be successful at Manchester City.

'The ideas and the planning behind this club are very hopeful and it is a new adventure, so I am delighted to be here.'